The Mad Belgian is the new seasonal release from Mad River Brewing, following in the footsteps of Serious Madness and Double Dread, both earlier this year.  This new release is a Belgian-style golden ale, one of my favorite varieties, so I was really looking forward to trying it.  I've had a couple of bottles now, and have formed a pretty solid opinion.  The beer pours a hazy, deep gold, and is translucent with very tiny, champagne-like bubbles.  It has a finely-textured, slightly off-white head, but unlike a traditional Belgian golden ale, the head is thin and has very poor retention, leaving little lacing.

On the nose, this beer is sweet and candyish, with strong malt notes and perhaps a hint of honey.  It has an effervescent and smooth body, with a clean, fresh flavor backed by a malty strength, an acidic tartness that was difficult to place, and hints of hop bitterness.  Aside from the poor head, I found it to be a rather tasty, malty version of a Belgian-style golden ale, and one that I'd recommend trying.